Closure for receptacles



Jan. 15, 1935. H. HERMANI CLOSURE FOR RECEPTACLES Filed May 5, 1932 w 7/I I I I 7 si a 7 f v. f 10' INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

Patented Jan. 15, 1935 CLOSURE FOR RECEPTACLES Henry Hermani, Baltimore,Md., assignor to The Tin Decorating Company of Baltimore, Baltimore,Md., a corporation of New Jersey Application May 5, 1932, Serial No.609,536

Claims. (01. 220-39) My present invention relates to improvements inclosures for receptacles or containers such as cans or jars having acover or lid removably attached by means of cooperating threadsor 5equivalent elements.

The general object of the invention is to provide simple and effectivemeans to prevent accidental loosening or turning movement of the coveror lid which might be caused by vibration or handling of the coveredreceptacles during shipment and handling when only plain screw threadsor equivalent elements are provided for attaching the cover or lid tothe receptacle.

I accomplish the foregoing object by providing a special formation ofthread or threads on either the receptacle or cover to cooperate with athread or threads or equivalent elements on the other, the firstmentioned thread being offset intermediate its ends whereby it has twosubstantially parallel portions one extending beyond the other in adifferent but substantially parallel plane so that when the lid or coveris being applied the plain thread or its equivalent on the one part willengage successively with the portions of the special thread on the otherpart, and at fully closed position the end of the plain thread or itsequivalent will confront the ofiset or an end of one of the saidportions in the direction of opening turning movement,jand

will be in engagement with one side or the other of. the portions. Thusthe lid and receptacle are united and maintained against accidentalseparation or relative loosening, but when it. be-

comes desirable to remove the lid it is simply necessary to turn it inusual manner as hereinafter explained.

From the foregoing it should be understood that I provide aconstructionwhereby the screw threads not only serve to guide the cover into 9position on the container to close ,its open end but also serve toprevent accidental opening- Fig. 1 is a perspective view of areceptacleand 1 cover embodying the invention showing the cover detached;

Fig. 2. is a fragmentary side elevation of the receptacle and covershown in Fig. 1 with the cover applied and a portion thereof broken 1away; 1

Fig. 3 is a central vertical sectional view through the portion of thereceptacle and the cover shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing an arrangement of spacedprojections on the cover 5 instead of the plain screw thread; and

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing a modification wherein thespecially formed locking thread is applied to the cover and the plainthread is applied to the receptacle. 1

The receptacles shown in the drawing are illustrated as being of the tincan type commonly used in packaging confections, groceries, and othermerchandise, but I wish it to be understood that the invention is notlimited to ap- 5 plication to or use in connection with this type ofreceptacle as it may be applied to jars and the like. 7

Referring to Figs. 13, the numeral 6 designates the top of the coverwhich also includes the usual side flange 7 having formed thereininterrupted screw threads 8. The numeral 9' designates the receptaclehaving an open top and therebelow a bead 10 with a plurality of screwthreads embodying the invention located between the top of thereceptacle and the bead 10. The depth of the flange 7 is substantiallyequivalent to the distance between the bead 10 and the top edge of thecontainer, so that when the cover is applied to the container asherein-' after explained, the top edge of. the container will preferablycontact the top .6 of the cover and the lower edge of the flange 7 willcontact the bead 10' to keep dust out of the container and to preventleakage of contents in the nature of finely ground or powderedmaterials.

Referring particularly to the screw threads designated generally by thereference character 11 on the receptacle, it will be noted that each ofthem comprises a continuous thread offset intermediate its ends, wherebyeach' thread on the container, in the embodiment shown in Fig. 1,comprises a relatively short end portion 12, and a relatively longstraight portion 13, joined by the offset portion 14. It. will also benoted, that the shorter ends 12 of each thread confront, and are spacedslightly above and behind, the lower ends of the longer portions 13 ofthe next thread, providing a passage 15 between the short end 12 of onethread and the long end 13 of the next thread, so that when the cover isapplied it is inserted straight down from the position shown in Fig. 1until the threads 8 are positioned against an upper surface of thelonger portions 13 of the threads 11 and preferably with the ends of thethreads 8, to the left in Fig. 1 of the drawing, just behind the shorterends 12 of the threads 11 and confronting the spaces 15. Thus, thelonger portions 13 serveto position the cover by receiving on theirupper surfaces the under or lower surfaces of the threads 8. With thecover so positioned, a turn to the left will move the threads 8 throughthe passages 15 with their upper surfaces contacting the lower surfacesof the shorter portions 12 which guide the movement of the threads onthe cover until the threads 8 have passed completely across the shorterportion 12, at which time the ends of the threads 8 to the right in Fig.1 will ride up against the offset or the shoulder indicated by 16, untilthe entire thread 8 is positioned beneath the longer portions 13 andbehind. with respect to the direction of opening movement of the can,the shoulder 16 and shorter portions 12. With the threads in thatposition the lower edge of the flange v'7 should be in engagement withthe bead 10, and the top 6 .should be in engagement with the top edge ofthe container 9, in which position the parts are held againstlongitudinal movement by the contact between threads 8 and portions 13of the thread 11, and against accidental turning movement in openingdirection by abutment between the ends of the threads 8 and the ends ofthe shorter portions 12 of the threads 11 or shoulders 16. To remove thecover, it is simply necessary to turn the same to the right until theends 01. the threads 8 ride over the shoulders 16 into contact with theunder surfaces of the shorter portions 12, which will guide the movementof the cover by contact with the threads 8 until the threads 8have'completely passed through the passages 15. It will be noted thatthe threads 8 contact successively with the two portions of the threads11 during application of the cover to the receptacle. I

The construction of the container in Fig. 4 is the same as that shown inand described in connection with pages 1-3, and the longer threads 11'are identical in construction and arrangement with the threads 11.However, instead of providing the straight threads 8, I may providespaced projections 17 on the flange of the cover arranged in alinedgroups on the flange along lines inclined from top to bottom of theflange at substantially the same angle as the portions of the threads11'. The projections 1'7 should be so positioned, whether there be twoor more of them in each group, that the last one to pass the offset onthe threads 11' will be positioned immediately therebehind when thelower edge of the cover flange contacts the bead 10', corresponding tothe bead 10 on container 9.

The operation, that is, the mode of a plication and removal of the covershown in Fig. 4, is exactly the same as described in connection with theconstruction shown in Figs. 1-3, as the 1 cover is placed on thecontainer with the projections 17 initially engaging the upper surfaceof the longer portions of the threads 11', after which the cover isturned to the left until the projections pass the shorter portions ofadjacent threads 11' and engage under the longer portions as shown inFig. 4.

In Fig. 5, I have shown a modification wherein the cover is providedwith the offset threads 11" and the receptacle is provided with'straightthreads similar to those 8 of Fig. 1 between the bead 10" and its upperedge. However, groups of alined projections, similar to the projections17 may be utilizedinstead of the straight threads 8' onthe receptacle asexplained in connection with Fig. 4. In either event, the offset threads11" are of the same construction or shape as the threads 11 of Fig. 1,but inasmuch as they are applied to the cover instead of to the con- Itainer, it is necessary to reverse their position so that the longerportions indicated by 13' will be nearest the top of the receptacle andthe shorter portions 12 will be nearest the bead of the receptacle whenthe cover is applied. With the threads so arranged the cover is appliedby inserting the same on the receptacle with the ends of the shorterportions 12' of the threads 11 just behind the upper ends of thestraight threads 8 on the receptacle, and then the cover is turned tothe left so that the shorter portions 12' ride against the underside ofthe threads 8'- until they reach the ends thereof, after which theoffsets 16' ride upwardly on the lower ends of the threads .8 until thelonger portions 13' are positioned beneath and in contact with thethreads 8' with the shorter portions 12' substantially in alinement withthe threads 8' and thus'constituting an abutment to prevent accidentalturning movement of the cover in opening direction, which, of course, isto the right. To remove the cover from the position shown in Fig. 5, itis simply necessary to turn the cover to the right until the offsets 16ride under the lower ends of the threads 8 to permit the shorterportions 12 to move upwardly and to the right beneath the threads 8' andthrough the opening between the threads 8 as previously explained. I I

It will thus be seen that the'invention is susceptible of application toexisting types of receptacles without material alteration and byproviding a continuous thread which not only serves to guide the. partsinto related closed position, but also to maintain them in such positionagainst accidental turning movement. whereby the cover will be securelymaintained in place during shipment and handling of the receptacle, butmay be readily removed and ap-' part being offset intermediate its endsproviding said thread with substantially straight portions in differentsubstantially parallel planes for successive engagement with a singlethread on the other part during application of the cover.

2. The structure of claim 1 wherein said offset is provided adjacent oneend of the thread and said portions are of different lengths.

3. A closure for a receptacle including a container part and a coverpart, one of said parts having screw threads and the other having atleast one projection to engage with any of said threads to detachablysecure the cover part on the container part, said screw threads beingoil'- set intermediate their ends to provide each thread withsubstantially straight portions in diflerent substantially parallelplanes for successive engagement by said projections during turningmovement of the cover when applying 4. In a receptacle having an openend and a cover therefor, said receptacle having screw threads adjacent;said open end, means on the cover for engaging said screw threads todetachably secure the cover on the receptacle, an offset intermediatethe ends of some of said screw threads providing them with threadportions in different planes for successive sliding engagement by saidmeans as the cover is applied, and said means being disposed behind saidoflset at full closed position of the cover.

5. In a receptacle having an open end and a cover therefor, said coverhaving a flange to engage the wall of the receptacle, screw threads onsaid flange and the portion of the receptacle covered by said flange forengagement to hold the cover on the receptacle, screw threads on onebeing offset intermediate their ends to provide two substantiallystraight portions of difierent lengths and in substantially paralleldiiferent planes for successive sliding engagement by the threads on theother during application 01' the cover to the receptacle, the said otherthreads being in alinement with one of said portions and alongside theother portion at full closed position of the cover.

6. The structure of claim 5 wherein the shorter portions of the screwthreads on the one are also shorter than the screw threads on the other.

'7. In a receptacle having an open end and a removable cover providedwith a flange to engage the wall of the receptacle, screw threads formedin the flange of 'said cover, said screw threads being offsetintermediate their ends to provide portions in diflferent substantiallyparallel planes, and means on the wall of the receptacle for successiveengagement with said portions of said screw threads during applicationof the cover, and said means being behind the end of one of saidportions and alongside ofthe other portion at full closed position ofthe cover.

8. In a receptacle having an open end and a cover therefor, interruptedscrew threads on the wall of the receptacle adjacent the open end. someof said threads being offset intermediate their ends providing upper andlower portions in different planes, the upper ends of the upper portionsbeing disposed near and in spaced relation to the lower ends of adjacentthreads, and means on the cover adapted to initially engage the topsurface of said lower portions and to move under said upper portions onadjacent threads during turning movement of the cover and beyond saidoffsets into substantial alinement with said upper portions and beneathsaid lower portions when the cover is fully applied.

9. In a receptacle and cover having cooperating screw thread elementsfor detachably securing the cover on the receptacle, means forrestraining turning movement of the cover in opening directioncomprising, an offset in at inclined and arranged in substantiallyparallel. planes with the offset located intermediate the outermost endsof said interrupted thread being in a plane intersecting said firstplanes.

HENRY HERMANI.

